Authentication System

1. Authentication system comprising: a reader with at least one reader interface to exchange meta information with different authentication media, a logic unit, connected to the reader, and operable to process the meta information exchanged with different authentication media, at least one first authentication medium comprising a first interface to exchange meta information with the reader, the first authentication medium including a memory operable to store authentication data to be processed within the logic unit based on at least one specific authentication rule; a meta authentication medium for assembling and carrying information to control derivation of at least one third authentication medium of a lower authentication level than the at least one first authentication medium, the meta authentication medium further comprising: a second interface to exchange information with the reader, second memory means configured to store meta information based on authentication data received via the reader from several first authentication media, and to store information for operating the logic unit to derive the at least one third authentication medium of the lower authentication level based on the meta information.

2. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the second meta authentication medium further comprises authentication rules by which the logic unit interconnected to the reader derives a further meta authentication medium.

3. Authentication system according to claim 2 , wherein the information to derive the further meta authentication medium is dispatched by a host interconnected to the reader.

4. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises third memory means to store log information about at least one of first and third authentication media derived therefrom via the reader.

5. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises means to update an operating system of the reader.

6. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises a second logic unit to process at least one of meta information and log information exchanged with the reader.

7. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium is split and comprises a first and a second half.

8. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises a second logic unit to process information.

9. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium is embodied in a credit card, a USB-Stick, a Smart Phone or a cellular phone.

10. Authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises information about a data structure of the third authentication media.

11. Meta authentication medium to be used in connection with an authentication system according to claim 1 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises: the second interface to exchange information with the reader and second memory means storing authentication data of at least one first authentication medium, information about a data structure of the third authentication medium and information about authentication rules to operate the logic unit connected to the reader in the authentication system.

12. Meta authentication medium according to claim 11 , wherein the meta authentication medium comprises a third memory means to store log information about all authentication media derived therefrom.

13. Method to operate an authentication system comprising: a) Bringing at least one first authentication medium into interaction with a reader to exchange authentication data with the reader; b) Processing the authentication data within a logic unit interconnected to the reader based on specific authentication rules; c) Bringing a meta authentication medium into interaction with the reader to store the processed authentication data in a memory means of the meta authentication medium; d) Repeating the steps a) to c) to store meta information comprising processed authentication data in the memory means of the meta authentication medium; (e) Bringing the meta authentication medium in interaction with at least one of the same and a different reader to exchange the meta information contained within the memory means of the meta authentication medium; (f) Processing the exchanged meta information within the logic unit interconnected to the reader based on specific authentication rules; and (g) Bringing at least one third authentication medium into interaction with the reader to store the processed meta information received from the meta authentication medium within a memory means of the third authentication medium.

14. Method according to claim 13 , wherein information about an application data structure of at least one of the third authentication medium and authentication rules to be processed in the reader are stored within the memory means of the meta authentication medium.

15. Method according to claim 13 , wherein information received from the reader is processed within a logic unit of the meta authentication medium.